How To Dry Brush Paint

I think of it as the lazy girls painting method, it's quick and easy 

You can whip out a stool like this in about 10 minutes and...

...Anything dry brushed sells great in my booth, it is a 
perfectly imperfect shabby finish that people love

I started with a very average stool.  Instead of sanding, I wipe it with a product called deglosser available in any paint department, it removes the shine and allows the paint to adhere

lightly dip the very tip of the paint bristles in paint then tap on a paper towel

Start by lightly brushing the furniture.... 

Then with more pressure, keep brushing until the brush is completely out of paint and repeat.  I dipped the brush 3 times to complete this piece of wood

I added a waterslide decal with a graphic from Graphics Fairy

Here is the dry brush method on a plate stand.....

...Dry brushed using white paint

This is a no fail paint method, when you are painting, you will think oh my gosh this is so ugly, but when you stand back, you'll get the whole picture!

And if you still don't like it, nothing lost, just paint like you usually do and consider the dry brushing a coat of primer

Happy Creating!

Carol

Electric Spray Painter For Casual Or Big Time Do It Yourselfers

I'm sooooo excited!  I found a paint sprayer that is inexpensive and easy to use...This is NOT a sponsored post! 

 This paint sprayer is going to save me tons of time and money!

I tried an electric paint sprayer a few years ago and it was a disaster, I had paint everywhere, and cleaning it was a nightmare!

I refinish tons of furniture for my antiques booth and now I'm doing a lot for the "Fancy Flea", a show I'm doing in April

I started Googling around and found Command Max

Here is some of what I had to paint last weekend

  

In 2 hours including drying time for primer and 2 coats of paint

I was done....Are you kidding me!!

Lets get to the good part...Command Max's website has this paint sprayer priced at $89.99 and with shipping it comes to $102.00...But Wait......I called the company and asked if there was any retail stores that stocked it, they said Ace Hardware, I called Ace and they ordered one in for $69.99!!!  Now, lets do the math, how many cans of spray paint is that at $5-$6 a can???

Clean up is a snap, you fill the canister with warm soapy water and spray it through.  Then wash these 3 pieces...DONE!

The instructions tell you to thin the paint.  To test if it is thin enough you run it through their viscosity gauge and time how long it takes

Don't panic, I did it one time and then I was able to gauge how thin the paint should be.  I added a few tablespoons of water to the paint and it worked just fine.  Us Diy folks hate to mess around with this stuff.

Here's a few details

There is minimal overspray, if you watch the video on their website, they show it being used on inside walls (I'm not so sure I would try that) 

This is great for custom mixing your own paint colors.  I have never tried chalk paint, but I am sure it would work fine

I wouldn't use this if I had something small like a picture frame to paint, but if I had anything bigger, like a small table, it is sooo worth it!

The first time you use it, it will seem too powerful, but by the second time you use it, you will feel like you have just defeated the canned spray paint gods!

My coffee table went from this

To this in minutes 

With a little distressing, a homemade plaster applique, and brown glaze

I wish this had been available years ago 

 It's perfect for the casual or big time furniture refinisher!

This company has no idea I exist, I'm just so excited I wanted to share it with you

Happy Creating!


Carol


Joining Ivy and Elephants

How To Alter A Vintage Doily

I often find vintage doilies that are less than perfect, but I never throw them out, I alter them

The crochet work is gorgeous, but often the fabric it's crocheted around was not the best, but the best they had and it's torn or stained from years of use

I don't pass up vintage, stained or torn doilies, and I never throw them out, I just alter them

It's very easy to do, the full instructions are on this post "crochet doily pillows"

You can fill the center with any fabric to match your decor

The Paris doily and perfume bottles are explained in this post "Copying images onto fabric"

The images are all from Graphics Fairy

I made these to sell at the "Fancy Flea" in April

The Dress form ball is February 7-14

 And I don't want anyone to be left out, If you do not have a blog, but would like to show your dress form, please send me a picture of your form.  My email is in the upper left corner of this blog, I'll make sure you get to the ball (Thanks for this great idea Laurie)

Happy Creating!

Carol


Joining:
Graphics Fairy
At the Picket Fence
No Minimalist Here

14 Days Until The Dress Form Ball!

The Dress Form Linky Party is just 14 days away

February 7-14.....Sweet! And there is going to be a dress form giveaway

Your hostess is getting ready and has finally decided what she is wearing to the ball.  

One of you (I can't remember who) called it a dress form ball, I do remember her dress forms name is Belle.  

Hum, I wonder who is going to be the "Belle" of the ball?

ALL dress forms welcome!

12 feet or 12 inches tall

Paper, metal, wood

Old or New

Dressed or ala natural

Homemade or store bought

Old post or New Post

As many dress form Posts as you like

We Love them all!!!!

If you have never linked, Here is a great post on how to link to a Linky party by "Beneath My Heart"

If you can't figure out how to link up, email me when your post is up and
  I will link it for you!
My email button is in the top left corner.  All I will need is your blog address and I will do the rest, No one is getting left out of this party!

And to sweeten the pot Barr Display has generously offered to give a dress form to one lucky lady that leaves a comment at the dress form ball!!

This is two parts, the form and the base.

  The form can be used alone and has a swivel hanger.

The form is $8.98 

The base is $12.00

The form and base are #8020 and come in black and white. Put #8020 into search

The shipping is actual cost and should be around $7-$8 

Barr Display is the store. 

Have you figured out yet what you're wearing to the ball??

Happy Creating!

Carol

Can't leave a comment, not getting comments, pages freezing? Here's the fix!

I thought you had all lost that loving feeling.  I wasn't getting many comments

If you are not getting many comments

If you can't leave a comment

If you are visiting a blog and the pages are freezing

Here's the problem and the fix

Blogger introduced a new feature for people who use the imbedded comment format (As opposed to those who have a pop up or full page comment boxes).  Everything got messed up and they have not yet been able to fix it.

Some people who comment with Internet Explorer (Not those using Safari or Firefox) on a post with imbedded format, are not able to comment.  If they search other pages in your blog the pages freeze

Here's the work around as they do not yet have a fix

Change your comments to "Pop up" or "Full Page".  Go to Dashboard>Settings>Comments> And change it

If you are unable to comment on a blog, let the blog owner know to change her settings to "Pop up" for comments.  I am sure many blogs have no idea this is going on as they are still receiving some comments from people that don't use Internet Explorer

Geez, it sure would have been nice of Blogger to let us know this was a problem!  I found it by searching forums

This public service announcement was brought to you by 

The Polka Dot Closet

Have a great Day!

Carol

I Can Cross This Off My Bucket List!

I've had an antiques booth for years, but I have always wanted to do a show, or a fair, or whatever you want to call it.  I thought maybe it was a pipe dream, I would need a tent, and a  trailer or rental truck to get my wares to the fair, then someone to drive the truck and I couldn't do a show alone.  

Then when I had my annual Ladies Champagne brunch in December 

I was telling one of my friends about the "Fancy Flea" (I called it Shabby Flea in my post, it's tough being blonde) I went to in November, I said "I would love to do a show like that some day".

Paris Rags Booth

She said "I'll do it with you, I have an enclosed trailer and a tent" (She's my friend and you can't have her)!

So, I'm off on my adventure!

Florida Ladies Mark your Calendars:

 The Polka Dot Closet is an official exhibitor at the

Fancy Flea

April 28, 2012

10-4

In Downtown Lakeland Florida, a cute little historic town 1 hour south of Orlando and a 1/2 hour north of Tampa

Lets see, I need to get crackin on merchandise.  I think the aprons will sell well

And I made up some tussie mussies

Now I think I'm a hat milliner, I have a dozen vintage hats, but they are all plain and need some fancying up, they should be perfect for the Flea.  I'll keep you posted as I attempt to fancy up these hats!

I'm on the look out for a ton of small tables, chairs and stools.  I found this little gem just as she is and added a waterslide decal.  Ok, I have one piece of furniture done!

This is going to be so fun!

I'm gratefully accepting any and all advise and tips!

Happy Creating!

Carol
Linking with 
Cottage Market 

Shabby Little Table With Plaster Appliques

This table needed a little shabby loving

I brushed it with Heirloom white paint.  I had a gallon of heirloom white paint made by having the cap of the Rustoleum Heirloom white spray paint color matched at the paint department

Spray paint can get expensive, so when I can, I brush!

I sanded to make it chippy and added my
homemade plaster applique roses

And put it in my booth at Orange Tree Antiques for $45 and.......... 

.....It sold immediately...Yea!

Are you getting your dress forms ready?
  
If you have never joined a linky party, HERE is an excellent step by step tutorial by "Beneath My Heart", complete with pictures!


Do you remember me saying there was something I wanted to do that was on my "Bucket list"?  Well, I'm going to do it!  I'll tell you all about it next post!


Happy Creating
Carol 


Joining:
Savvy Southern Style 

T shirt transfer Stool

I have had this stool since I went to my first auction and just got around to the transformation 

The gold cover had to go, but I thought the legs were nice and surprise...I did not paint them white!

I first tried using my vintage rubber stamps, but when I laid the fabric over...Nope I didn't like it.   If at first you don't succeed....

...Try, try, again!  I used a graphic from Graphics Fairy and applied it with T shirt Transfer paper.  A little tip here, I always think an enclosed design looks best when using T shirt transfer paper.

As opposed to using word graphics where you can see the transfer paper in between the letters or design.  I explain it in detail on my

 T shirt transfer post

In keeping with never throwing anything out, this is the crochet edge of a vintage table cloth, even though the fabric of the table cloth was shot I still bought it just for the beautiful crochet 

The fabric was a $1.50 linen shower curtain from the Ikea sale bin.  The crochet trim was applied with Fabri -Tac, a glue from craft stores

Billie was driving me crazy today,  half of the pictures I took were of Billies, butt, tail, or face!
She's so darn cute I had to forgive her!

I put the stool in my booth at Orange Tree and priced it at $38.00

Mark your calendars for my Dress Form Linky Party February 7-13

I had a few people ask if the party was for any size dress form?  YES, little ones, big ones, pin cushion, all dress forms are welcome! Here is my post on where to buy inexpensive dress forms

Happy Creating!

Carol
Linking with
Between Naps On the Porch
Graphics Fairy